THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY LATE TOUR
VIP, Guaranteed Small Group – a Friday Eventide Conversazione
A tour of the building that tells the story of Britain. Meet the monarchs (and their lovers), writers, warriors, artists, scientists and politicians who shaped our history.
Hear stories of Tudor tyranny and invention, the genius heretic inventor of modern physics, the woman who fought doctors introduce smallpox inoculation, the founder of British feminism and her daughter who wrote a defining book of Gothic fiction. Meet the men of iron who built the modern world, a woman who painted without hands, the woman who created the first computer programme, and hear about head full of blood.
THERE’S MORE
After three years of renovations costing £41 million, the newly refurbished National Portrait Gallery opened its doors again last summer – its transformation included a complete re-hang of all its paintings with some exciting new portraits were unveiled, augmenting what is already the largest collection of its kind in the world.
Our tour will take a London theme, looking at some of the city’s most famous and infamous residents as well as meeting newcomers to the capital and some of the unsung heros and heroines, whose actions have shaped society and influenced our modern world.
One of the original founders of the National Portrait Gallery, the Victorian essayist and historian Thomas Carlyle believed that “looking at a portrait transcends time and provides a unique encounter between the viewer and the sitter”.
Come and transcend time with a London Walks Friday Eventide at the National Portrait Gallery.
THE PRACTICALS
Rendezvous with your guide outside the main entrance of the National Portrait Gallery by the statue of Sir Henry Irving at 6 pm. As soon as we meet up we’ll cross that threshold – go inside and “meet them.“
And where’s the entrance of the National Portrait Gallery you ask? Ok, let’s walk you in. You know where Trafalgar Square is (closest Tube Stops are Charing Cross, Leicester Square and Embankment). The National Gallery is on the north side of Trafalgar Square (across the street from the beautiful old church, St Martin-in-the-Fields). Make your way to the National Gallery and then walk around behind it (the east side of the National Gallery to your left, across the street, to your right, that beautiful old church). And there it is, the National Portrait Gallery, directly behind the National Gallery.
WHY GO WITH US?
The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind of the last line of Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s poem Found. “Dark” is wandering aimlessly through the National Portrait Gallery, looking at (but not seeing) a few portraits, reading the caption that identifies the sitter. Yawn. Welcome to “dark.”
“Dark breaks to dawn” when you hear the stories. You “see” them by hearing the stories. When you hear the stories portraits become people.
That’s why you go with us.
“THERE is a budding morrow in midnight:”—
So sang our Keats, our English nightingale.
And here, as lamps across the bridge turn pale
In London’s smokeless resurrection-light,
Dark breaks to dawn…
THE FRIDAY LATES – READ ALL ABOUT BOTH OF THEM
Evening explorations of The National Portrait Gallery and The British Museum
Small group tours
6 pm – 8 pm
There’s something rather delicious about touring a gallery or museum as evening falls and the crowds begin to disperse…both
The National Portrait Gallery and The British Museum open late on a Friday…so come and join us on one of these exclusive small group tours.
Pre-payment booking is essential for these small group tours
(max 12 people) @ £28.00 per person (no concs)
Join one of our top-notch, expert Blue Badge Tour Guides Karen, Fiona, Simon or Marc on an evening exploration of the newly refurbished National Portrait Gallery or a twilight highlights tour of the world’s greatest treasure chest The British Museum on the following Fridays:
27th December National Portrait Gallery
3rd January British Museum
10th January National Portrait Gallery
17th January British Museum
24th January National Portrait Gallery
31st January British Musem
7th February National Portrait Gallery
14th February British Museum
21st February National Portrait Gallery
28th February British Museum
To book tickets:
Payment link for the National Portrait Gallery
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/
Payment link for the British Museum
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE GUIDING
As the evenings draw in these atmospheric new Friday Lates for London Walks are the perfect way to ease yourself into the Autumn!
Eleanor Stephenson –
Thank you so much Karen for a wonderful tour I loved it
Geraldine Bruyneel –
Brilliant storytelling, I really enjoyed discovering the stories behind the portraits.